Compliance-first automation for legal intake

Speed-to-lead is a conflict-check problem.
We build the gate, not just the funnel.

Clear Automations builds conflict-cleared inbound intake, case-type routing, document collection, engagement-letter follow-up, and statute-of-limitations tracking for plaintiff-side and small-firm legal practices.

4hr

conflict-cleared callback target

ABA 1.18

prospective-client architecture

100%

firm-owned accounts

The leak is intake architecture

Most AI intake tools collect too much, too fast — and create exposure.

01

After-hours inquiries arrive 24/7 in personal injury, family, immigration, and criminal practices; the firm that calls back first wins, and voicemail loses.

02

Generic AI intake bots collect fact pattern before running a conflict check — under ABA Rule 1.18, that creates exposure if the firm has to decline the matter due to a conflict.

03

Statute of limitations slip-through, engagement-letter ghosting, and case-status communication gaps are real revenue and ethics risks that manual intake can't catch.

The first build focuses on conflict-cleared intake — the architectural feature that separates this SKU from generic AI chatbots. Phase 2 adds case-type routing and document collection. Phase 3 adds lifecycle communications.

Three phases. One ethics-aware funnel.

Start with conflict-cleared intake.
Then case-type routing, then lifecycle communications.

Phase 1

Conflict-Cleared Intake

Available now - attorney sign-off required

After-hours inquiries cleared and routed inside 4 business hours

Setup

$4,500

Monthly

$450/mo

Timeline

3-5 weeks

  • -Inbound landing page with state-specific Attorney Advertising disclaimer
  • -UPL-strict Vapi script with conflict-gate architecture (minimum-info collection only)
  • -Conflict-check API integration with one CMS platform (Clio default; MyCase / PracticePanther / Filevine as alternates)
  • -Missed-call callback queue with case-type prioritization
  • -Post-engagement review request with manager-route on negative
  • -Weekly firm digest with conflict-clearance rate and SLA pulse

AI does not provide legal advice. Per ABA Model Rules 1.18 + 5.5, the script collects only minimum information for a conflict check. Attorney sign-off on the script is non-negotiable.

Phase 2

Case-Type Routing + Document Collection

Ready after Phase 1 stabilization

Conflict-cleared leads routed by practice area + state licensure

Setup

$7,500

Monthly

$750/mo

Timeline

3 weeks

  • -Practice-area routing (PI / family / immigration / criminal / estate / employment)
  • -Jurisdictional fit + state licensure routing
  • -Case-type-specific document checklist (PI: police report, medical records, photos; immigration: passport, visa history)
  • -Secure-portal link delivery (firm CMS portal)
  • -Conversion-by-practice-area dashboard

Documents are collected via the firm's CMS portal, not the public form. Document content stays inside the firm's secured environment.

Phase 3

Lifecycle Communications

Ready after Phase 2 stabilization

Engagement letters signed faster, SOL tracked, reviews collected

Setup

$9,500

Monthly

$1,250/mo

Timeline

3 weeks

  • -Engagement letter follow-up (3-touch D3 / D7 / D14)
  • -Statute of limitations tracker (90 / 60 / 30 / 14 day warnings)
  • -DocuSign or Adobe Sign integration
  • -Monthly firm report with conversion-by-practice-area + SOL pulse + review pulse
  • -Crisis-protocol customization for DV-adjacent inquiries

Phase 3 is internal lifecycle work. No outbound to prospective clients (ABA Rule 7.3 + state advertising rules).

Every phase requires attorney sign-off on the Vapi script before production deployment. The conflict-check gate is the architectural moat.

ABA Model Rule 1.18 architecture

The Vapi script collects only minimum information (caller name, state, case-type bucket, opposing-party names) before the conflict-check gate clears further fact-gathering.

ABA Model Rule 5.5 (UPL) bright line

AI does not discuss case merits, statute of limitations applicability, jurisdiction fit, damages estimates, or legal strategy. Attorney sign-off on the script is non-negotiable for production.

ABA Formal Opinion 512 (2024) compliant

Attorney supervision of AI output, confidentiality obligations under Rule 1.6, and competence in selecting AI tools — built into the SKU's onboarding checklist.

No outbound to prospective clients

Per ABA Rule 7.3 + state advertising rules (TX, FL, CA particularly strict), the SKU is inbound-only. Recall, marketing outbound, and cold-call workflows are explicitly out of scope.

Add to any phase

Ethics-aware services around the conflict-cleared intake build.

Ethics Compliance Sprint

$2,500 flat

UPL audit + state-specific advertising review + Vapi script attorney sign-off documentation.

  • -UPL audit report
  • -State advertising rule review
  • -Attorney sign-off documentation
  • -Production-deployment checklist

Multi-Jurisdiction Routing

$1,500 flat

Custom routing for firms operating in 3+ states with different bar rules.

  • -State-by-state intake matrix
  • -Bar-rule-specific opener variants
  • -Multi-state SOL tracking
  • -Compliance documentation

PI-Specific Workflow Pack

$3,000 flat

Lien tracking, medical-records request automation, and settlement-disbursement reminders for personal injury practices.

  • -Lien-tracking workflow
  • -Medical-records request automation
  • -Settlement-disbursement reminders
  • -Lien-resolution dashboard

Tools policy

Tools we use around the legal intake funnel

The funnel uses self-hosted n8n as the backbone and connects to the firm's case management system for the conflict-check gate. We do not write to or read from privileged matter data inside the CMS.

Allowed with prerequisites

Self-hosted n8n

Coordinates form intake, callback queues, conflict-check API calls, document-collection reminders, engagement-letter follow-up, and reporting digests on the firm's DigitalOcean instance.

Vapi (cheap stack)

GPT-4o mini + Deepgram Nova-2 + ElevenLabs Turbo for ~$0.15/min all-in. UPL-strict script with conflict-gate branch and crisis branch.

HubSpot Free or Sales Starter

Lead-funnel CRM (pre-conflict-clearance). Stores minimum-info-collected fields only — no fact pattern, no privileged information.

Firm CMS API (Clio / MyCase / PracticePanther / Filevine)

Conflict-check gate via the firm's existing CMS API. Default integration is Clio; alternates available at +$1,500 setup.

Not used inside the firm's case management

Outbound to prospective clients

Per ABA Rule 7.3 + state advertising rules. The SKU is inbound-only. Recall, cold-outbound, and lead-purchasing workflows are out of scope.

AI legal advice or case-merit discussion

The Vapi script does not discuss case merits, SOL applicability, jurisdiction fit, damages estimates, or legal strategy. UPL bright line.

Fact-pattern collection before conflict clearance

Per ABA Rule 1.18, collecting fact pattern from a prospective client before the conflict check creates exposure if the firm has to decline. Architectural enforcement, not a soft guideline.

Hidden lead ownership

ClearAutomations does not own the firm's phone number, CMS, workflow exports, or prospective-client list.

Illustrative results

What a small PI firm could recover

MetricTodayModeled System
After-hours inquiriesVoicemail or answering service; 30-40% lost to faster-responding firmsConflict-cleared callback inside 4 business hours
Tire-kicker triageParalegal time burned on jurisdictional / SOL / conflict declinesVapi script collects minimum-info; conflict gate filters automatically
Engagement-letter signing1 manual reminder, then ghosted3-touch sequence (D3 / D7 / D14) with DocuSign integration
Statute of limitations exposureCalendar reminders depending on attorney memoryWeekly tracker with 90 / 60 / 30 / 14 day warnings

This is a planning model, not a published case study. Replace with approved client numbers after a pilot.

Conflict check before fact-gathering.

The Vapi script collects only minimum information for a conflict check before the firm's case management system clears the prospect. ABA Rule 1.18 architecture, not a marketing chatbot.

UPL bright line, enforced.

AI does not discuss case merits, statute of limitations, jurisdiction, damages, or strategy. Attorney sign-off on the script is non-negotiable for production.

You own the system.

Your CMS, phone numbers, lead pipeline, scripts, and workflows live in your accounts. Clio, MyCase, PracticePanther, Filevine — coexist, never replace.

ZJ

Zion John

5 years building enterprise AP and workflow automation systems at RSM. Now building modular automation systems for small businesses and regulated practices in Texas.

Common questions

Before the first prospective client is screened

Will AI give legal advice on my behalf?+

No. The Vapi script collects only minimum information for a conflict check (caller name, state, case-type bucket, opposing-party names). It does not discuss case merits, SOL, jurisdiction, damages, or strategy. Per ABA Model Rule 5.5 and Formal Opinion 512.

How does the conflict-check gate work?+

After collecting minimum information, the workflow calls your CMS's conflict-check API (Clio / MyCase / PracticePanther / Filevine). If clear, the prospect is routed to your intake coordinator for full intake. If conflict, the AI politely declines and ends the call.

Can you sign a BAA?+

Legal intake is not a HIPAA vertical. We provide an attorney-vendor agreement covering Rule 5.3 supervision, Rule 1.6 confidentiality, and data-handling boundaries. Available on request.

Does this support my CMS?+

Phase 1 includes one CMS integration (Clio default). MyCase, PracticePanther, and Filevine are available at +$1,500 setup. If you don't have a CMS, the workflow falls back to a manual conflict-check gate (n8n pauses and emails the intake coordinator).

What does the audit form collect?+

Only firm/business workflow information: firm name, contact, practice areas, attorney count, monthly inquiry volume, CMS in use, biggest pain. No prospective-client information.

Start with conflict-cleared intake

Request an intake audit.

We will review your inbound intake speed, conflict-check workflow, tire-kicker burden, and lifecycle-communication gaps.

Do not include prospective-client information, fact patterns, opposing-party names, or anything privileged. The form is for your firm's workflow data only.

Do not include patient information, payment cards, access codes, legal matter details, insurance IDs, or other sensitive private details in this form. See the privacy notice.